Windshield Support Assembly for Small Vehicles

Abstract

The present invention provides a windshield support assembly for mounting onto small vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles (ATV). The support assembly is adapted to receive a windshield panel fixedly mounted to a support base which is itself equipped with generally two support brackets. These support brackets each comprises a portion which is receivable in a corresponding fastening bracket fixedly mounted to the handle bar of the vehicle. The support brackets of the windshield support assembly are lockable into the fastening brackets by generally two hand actuated locking means such as knobs or handles which are removably mountable to the fastening brackets. By a simple actuation of the locking means, the windshield and its support base can easily be installed or removed from the vehicle.

1 . A windshield support assembly for a vehicle comprising a handle bar, said windshield assembly comprising:
 a. a base support adapted to receive a windshield panel;   b. at least one support bracket, fixedly mountable to said base support;   c. at least one handle bar mounting bracket assembly having a first portion adapted to be fixedly mounted to said handle bar and a second portion adapted to removably receive said at least one support bracket;   d. at least one locking means, mountable to said second portion of said at least one handle bar mounting bracket assembly;   wherein said at least one locking means are adapted to secure said at least one support bracket to said second portion of said at least one handle bar mounting bracket assembly when said at least one support bracket is received in said second portion of said at least one handle bar mounting bracket assembly.   
   
   
       2 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one locking means are hand-actuated. 
   
   
       3 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said at least one locking means comprise a knob portion. 
   
   
       4 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one support bracket comprises a protruding portion. 
   
   
       5 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said protruding portion is configured to be received in said second portion of said at least one handle bar mounting bracket assembly. 
   
   
       6 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said protruding portion is configured to be slid in said second portion of said at least one handle bar mounting bracket assembly. 
   
   
       7 . A windshield support assembly for a vehicle comprising a handle bar, said windshield assembly comprising:
 a. a base support adapted to receive a windshield panel;   b. a first support bracket, fixedly mountable to said base support;   c. a second support bracket, fixedly mountable to said base support;   d. a first handle bar mounting bracket assembly having a first portion adapted to be fixedly mounted to said handle bar and a second portion adapted to receive said first support bracket;   e. a second handle bar mounting bracket assembly having a third portion adapted to be fixedly mounted to said handle bar and a fourth portion adapted to receive said second support bracket;   f. first locking means adapted to engage said first support bracket and said second portion of said first handle bar mounting bracket assembly;   g. second locking means adapted to engage said second support bracket and said fourth portion of said second handle bar mounting bracket assembly.   
   
   
       8 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said first support bracket comprises a first protruding portion and wherein said second support bracket comprises a second protruding portion. 
   
   
       9 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said first protruding portion is configured to be received in said second portion of said first handle bar mounting bracket assembly and wherein said second protruding portion is configured to be received in said fourth portion of said second handle bar mounting bracket assembly 
   
   
       10 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said first protruding portion is configured to be slid in said second portion of said first handle bar mounting bracket assembly and wherein said second protruding portion is configured to be slid in said fourth portion of said second handle bar mounting bracket assembly 
   
   
       11 . A windshield support assembly for a vehicle, said windshield assembly comprising:
 a. a windshield panel;   b. a support base fixedly mounted to said windshield panel;   c. a vehicle mounting assembly comprising a first portion adapted to fixedly engage said vehicle and a second portion adapted to slidingly receive said support base;   d. locking means for securing said support base to said second portion of said handle bar mounting assembly.   
   
   
       12 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said locking means are hand-actuated. 
   
   
       13 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said windshield panel and said support base are unitary. 
   
   
       14 . A windshield support assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said vehicle further comprises a handlebar assembly and wherein said first portion of said vehicle mounting assembly is adapted to fixedly engage said handle bar assembly.